FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 293 



interests of traders, whether fair or unfair, if any such 

 vested interests there be which the apathy of consumers 

 has either condoned by its acquiescence or allowed to grow 

 up since 1761 or earlier. 



In regard to such wholesome food as is now, perhaps, in 

 some instances, lost in space because of insufficient market 

 accommodation, both consumers and fishermen have a more 

 or less direct right to demand the assistance of the State in 

 rectifying the evil ; whilst if there be traders with vested 

 interests, which is much to be doubted, whom State assist- 

 ance to fishermen and consumers would actually, not in- 

 directly, injure, such traders may in some instances have a 

 claim for compensation. There can be no doubt that the 

 fish consumers in all large towns have a right to demand 

 assistance of the State for the erection of all necessary 

 markets, and that they should be unimpeded by any 

 restrictions imposed in favour of old-established markets, 

 because at the date of their establishment those markets 

 were alone necessary. 



Any State legislation which gives encouragement to 

 consumers to buy gives encouragement to fishermen to 

 fish, and for this reason an essay on the relations of the 

 State with fishermen would be incomplete without an allu- 

 sion to the inland consumption of fish. 



An effort has been made to trace in outline the principles 

 which have regulated the State in its relations with one of 

 the hardiest, best physically developed, and most industrious 

 of the classes which assist in constituting it. This class 

 has, with justice, formed an expectation of acquiescence to 

 its demands in most cases in which it has looked to the 

 constituted authorities for encouragement. This encourage- 

 ment has been almost annually extended, and with the more 

 readiness because at no time have the applicants clamoured 



